Could Be That Boy
by Commodore Griffin
Summary: Dinner with Gio Rossi's family is always an adventure. Add in thoughts on Betty Suarez and Gio is finding it downright chaotic. Set around the events of 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'. Gio/Betty
1. Chapter 1

Could Be That Boy

_Author's Notes: This story was inspired by the fantastic Angel, built upon by the Getty Girls, and finally crystallized in my brain from there. I wanted to tell a story, in one whole shot, about Gio during Wicked, and just what his own family might have had to say with it. What can I say? I loved Nella. _

_The title is taken from Wicked's 'Not That Girl'._

_Enjoy, Getties!_

**Could Be That Boy**

There was something about coming home - Giovanni Rossi thought fondly as he pulled his van in front of his parent's house in Queens - that gave you a definite feeling of nostalgia. For example, the large tree in their tiny front yard, the one his mother Adalina refused to cut down, had a long standing tradition as being the most daring way to sneak in and out of the house when you were in your rebellious teenage years. Gio had been the first, followed a few years later by his sister Luciana. The twins were probably getting the most use out of it now, and in a few years Antonella, the baby, would be climbing down those branches for some innocent, illicit fun with her friends. Gio had a lot of good memories with that tree – climbing back up after his first concert, going down to kiss the first girl he ever loved.

He patted it fondly and familiarly as he headed up to the front door of the rambling old brown two-story, hefting a large cardboard box under his arm. The house had been in the Rossi family for three generations now – his great grandfather had bought it while working two jobs, his grandfather kept it going through the fifties and sixties, and his father had raised his family there. One day, he'd probably inherit as well – although he was fairly sure he'd have his own home. Well, hopefully. His five year plan had begun, in earnest, and now it was time to make the best of a hopefully stable situation. He'd been all over Meade Publications, spreading around his flyers. Luckily, writers were definite eaters … heh, some of them a little more than others. Or at least, tiny Hispanic girls with giant glasses, who beamed like sunshine over the thought of free coupons.

He sighed, his thoughts drawing back to that little 'scene' between him and Betty Suarez. He couldn't believe such a girl from the Neighborhood was being such an _idiot_, especially over an accountant. He might have understood a little more if it had been over Daniel Meade, handsome playboy, but an accountant? No way. She should be getting charged over someone who could get under her skin. A guy who would really get her engine running.

Not to mention who didn't currently have a baby coming with his _ex-girlfriend_.

He pushed open the front door, grunting. Women made no damned sense, sometimes. Closing the door with his foot, he called out, "Ma! Pops! Grandpa Vanni! Anyone home?"

"We're in the kitchen, Gio!" Came back his mother's reply, and Gio dropped the box on the sofa and headed towards the delicious smells emanating from the back. He poked his head through the door, noting two of the Rossi elder adults were where he usually found them. His mother was on her cellphone, still dressed in her sensible suit from work. She was the Head Librarian at the Jackson Heights Library, and some days it seemed like the building would literally burst into flames if she wasn't holding down the fort. She was where Gio had gotten his coloring and eyes, and her caustic attitude had definitely passed to all her children.

Gio sauntered over and brushed her cheek with a kiss, and she smiled warmly, talking to him and the person on the phone at the same time. "Hello sweetheart – not you, Steven, and I told you the next time that happens call the IT people. How was your day? Not your day, Steven, my son's. Their number should be in the Rolodex under the main desk."

Gio grinned, leaning against the wall. "Went well – settled up with the kiosk and got all my flyers out. Gave out some coupons, some for free, some for not. How about you?"

"Oh the usual – computers up, computers down. I need to get this settled so I can help your grandpa with dinner – and make sure your father hasn't blown himself up – not to mention make sure I get everyone to the dinner table. Oh, and I've got to sew your sister's pageant costume, or I shall be the Worst Mother Ever." She sighed, "Why I do all this, I'll never know."

"Well, because you're awesome." Gio gave her another kiss. "Tell you what – I'll help out Grandpa until you're free and check on Dad besides."

"This is why you are my favorite child." She gave him a squeeze, eyed his hair, tutting. "Getting long there, Rock Star. NO, Steven, not you…"

Gio smirked, before edging his way past the large kitchen table to the stove, where his grandfather Giovanni, Grandpa or Papa Vanni to everyone else, stood slowly stirring a garlic sauce, and steaming mussels. He was a tiny, wrinkled old man, who looked up as his grandson approached, and smiled crookedly at his namesake, "Ciao, Gio."

"Ciao, Grandpa, what's cooking?" Gio wrapped one arm around his grandfather's shoulders, dipping one finger quickly into the sauce. He got his finger into his mouth before his grandfather shouted and smacked him upside the head with a wooden spoon. Gio sniggered in response, "What? I gotta test it. Make sure you're not poisoning us."

"I have been cooking for this family for over fifty years! I have cooked for other people just as long! I never poison!" His grandfather rasped out in his thick Italian accent. He gave Gio another whack. "You just like to cause _trouble_, Gio." The old man paused, giving Gio a considering look. "What do you think?"

"Garlic, I'm thinking." Gio said frankly. "It's good, but a little more garlic will make it perfect."

Grandpa Vanni snorted, tasted himself, and nodded agreement. "_Buono_. You still have a decent tongue in your head. Go to the basement, get some." He started to stir again as Gio headed for the door that led to the basement, adding, "Make sure your father hasn't blown himself to Kingdom Come."

Gio climbed the stairs down, grinning as he could hear his father say loudly, "You know, the lack of faith in this family is just _shocking_." Bertrando Rossi, Bert to anyone close to him, was sitting at his work bench, his bad leg stretched out straight to the side of the table, a tangle of wires in front of him, a soldering iron in one hand and a small, black apparatus in the other. He glanced over his half-moon glasses at his oldest, his tone wry. "It's not like I'm making incendiary devices."

"Well, maybe if it didn't always smell like something was burning down here, we'd be a little less suspicious." Gio said dryly, as he headed over to the shelves that held his grandfather's spices. He found the cloves of garlic, extracted one, and headed over to his father's bench. He clapped him lightly on the shoulder, looking on with interest. "So what's all this then, Pop?"

"A device that brushes, and flosses your teeth, all at the same time!" Bert held it up for Gio's approval. "Just got to work out a few kinks, and then it's ready for the patent's office."

"And those kinks are…?" Gio asked, eying the device with a touch of wariness and pride. No matter how many times these things failed, his father never gave up on his dreams to invent something useful for mankind. He liked to think he got his drive from the tall, spare man before him, beyond the dimples in his cheeks and the line of his jaw.

"Well, I am having some problems with the switchover – it tends to get stuck in the middle and try to brush and floss at the same time." His father tilted the device back and forth, before giving his son a smile. "But I'll get it, sooner or later."

Gio smiled back, clapping his father on the shoulder. "I know you will. Looks like dinner will be ready soon, so don't get too wrapped up."

"Hm. Since I've been warned twice about 'blowing myself up', I can see where the winds are blowing." Gio's father winked. "I'll be up soon."

Gio chuckled, and climbed up the stairs, two at a time, popping into the kitchen. "He's fine, everything is in one piece … although you might want to check to make sure he has all of his teeth."

Grandpa Vanni just rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and took the garlic from Gio, muttering under his breath in Italian. Gio's mother sighed and cupped her hand over the phone. "Honestly – I do not know what to do with that man – Luce? Luce? Angel, calm down. We know Samuel doesn't eat shellfish – yes – yes – we're going to be making him a nice piece of chicken instead."

Gio dug into the pretzel jar on the counter, leaning on the counter as he tilted himself towards the phone, yelling loudly. "Stop having hives, Loser. Just get your skinny butt and fiancée over here."

Adalina gave her son a Look, before she sighed into the phone. "Luce, I am not going to tell your brother that he is a …. That word. You can tell him yourself when you and Samuel come to dinner. Nothing fancy, just food and family." Pause, and another sigh. "Darling, we will not pick on Samuel. No one picks on Samuel." She eyed Gio. "Well, mostly."

"What?" Gio asked innocently, "It's not my fault the guy can't take a joke about Italian families, and the Mob!"

His mother pointed a finger at him. "Your sister is right, you shouldn't have told him you knew where to fit him with a pair of cement shoes."

"Oh, c'mon, Ma! Who expects to take that seriously?" Gio snorted.

"Your brother will leave Samuel alone, isn't that right, Giovanni?" His mother put one hand on her hip, giving him the Look again.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes Ma. I will leave the paranoid goober alone." He popped a pretzel into his mouth, so he didn't feel tempted to add anything else. It wasn't that he had anything against Samuel, per sec. Just … how could you resist poking the guy who thought most Italian families were like _The Sopranos_?

"Thank you, sweetheart. All right, Luce. See you soon." His mother hung up the phone and let out a long, long sigh. "I love your sister, Gio.'

"I know you do, Ma." Gio said, sympathetically. Ever since Luce had gotten engaged to Samuel Cohen, a young lawyer who worked at the firm she did secretarial work for, she had literally been driving the family crazy with all things Samuel. Samuel couldn't eat this, because of his religion. Samuel couldn't do this, he had allergies. Samuel didn't like that movie, he thought violence in film was blah, blah, blah. Sometimes, Gio liked to think he picked on his sister's choice out of self defense.

"I just hope that boy starts relaxing around us soon, or your sister will never relax again." Ada sighed, as she took out her earrings and headed for the kitchen door, calling out behind her, "I'll be down in a second, Papa Vanni! Gio, what is this cardboard box on my sofa?"

Gio moved to the stove again, yelling back as he pulled a spoon out of the utensil drawer, "Presents for everyone!" He dipped the spoon into the pot, tasted, and nodded his head with approval, "Perfect. Brings out the flavor without overwhelming it. You're the master of sauces, Grandpa Vanni."

Grandpa Vanni patted Gio on the cheek fondly, "Refined palate, of a master chef. Now, help your Mama, and start setting the table."

"Yessir." Gio mock saluted, and headed out to the long dining room. He had just started searching the drawers of the china cabinet for something that resembled a tablecloth, when the front door banged open and he heard his three younger siblings enter arguing loudly.

"You. Ditched. Us." Nella said, her eleven-year voice sharp with disapproval. "Just for some stupid punk in a leather coat."

Desideria, the elder of the two sixteen year old Rossi twins, was heard to sigh throatily, "I did not ditch you. You got on the wrong train, and then you came back again."

"The wrong train in which you pushed us on, _Ria_!" Giacomo, the younger twin, spoke sharply as the door was shut loudly. "And for Rico Valenza? He's an ass! Ow!"

"Don't use that kind of language in front of Nella!" Ria scolded, "And yet again I say, _Jack_, that you got back on the right train, so what's the big deal?"

Gio rolled his eyes, and raised his voice, "Maybe because you shoved your twin brother and little sister on a train heading to anywhere to _mack _on a guy?"

There was a pause, and then a happy squeal of, "Gio!" from Nella, who came into the dining room and tackled him with a hug. He laughed and squeezed her back, before twirling her out in a fancy spin move and back again.

"Hey squirt – which direction did she have you going?" He asked, looking down at her. She was the baby of the family after all, and because of that he always felt more protective over her than the others.

"We were halfway to Brooklyn." Nella rolled her eyes, "And all because she thinks _Rico_ has a sexy accent!"

"Nel-la!" Ria appeared in the doorway, her perfectly made-up lips pressed together. She tossed her long, shiny black hair, glaring at her little sister. "Shut. Up."

Jack gave her a push from behind, snorting softly as he slid past her. "Why? She's right." He grinned at his older brother, holding out his hand for a high-five that pulled into a hug. "What's up, big bro?"

"Not much, little man." Gio said with a hint of irony, because Jack and Ria were the only two of the five Rossi children who seemed to have inherited their father's height. He eyed his brother's t-shirt, a smirk appearing. "Of course, maybe Rico had a reason to be nervous. Nice logo."

Jack grinned, his black eye-lined eyes crinkling around the edges as he looked down at his t-shirt that stated boldly _Don't Piss Me Off, I'm Running Out Of Places To Hide The Bodies. _"Nice, huh? I like the second-_what-the-Hell_ looks I get off of it." He turned back to his twin, his voice going sardonic again, "Yet again, it appears I have managed to humiliate my sister into denying my existence."

Ria rolled her eyes, as she headed over to the cabinet, going through the drawers herself and pulling out a long, white tablecloth. "Well maybe if you didn't look like such a Freak."

"He is not a Freak, he's got his own style." Gio said sharply, as he gave Nella a little head thump. "Go help Ria with the tablecloth."

Nella wrinkled her nose, but went off to grab the other end. She flounced a little, giving Ria a mock-sweet smile. "And what did I do, oh sweet older sister?"

"You were _born_, brat." Ria grumbled, earning her another look from Gio. She sighed, exasperated. "_What_? I'm sorry, but do you know how hard it is to flirt with a guy when your Goth twin and your annoying little sister are there, tapping their fingers against their watches?" Gio flicked her ear, as he passed to the china cabinet. "Ow! _Gio,_ that hurt!"

"It should hurt to abandon your family in the subway." Gio shook his head, as he tossed Jack a bundle of cloth napkins, and they started setting them around the table. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood, or I'd drag you out of here and make you apologize to Jack and Nella in front of this Rico guy – who, by the way, I'm not sure if I approve my younger sister hanging around, if he makes you do things like this."

Ria pouted prettily, as she smoothed down her end of the tablecloth. "I'm sorry, okay? I just really like him – and Jack gives me nothing but grief about it because he doesn't respect Rico's political views, or something, and he always goes out of his way to make Rico look stupid."

"It's not _exactly_ hard." Jack muttered.

Ria gave Jack another dirty look, as she grabbed some napkins from Gio and threw them at Jack. "Well maybe I don't need a guy to be a Rhodes Scholar like you do, you intellectual snob!"

Jack ducked and tossed one back, "Maybe all you need is some guy who looks good in tight jeans? And for the last time, I am not gay because I wear eye-liner!"

"Oh yeah? Then why do all your girlfriends look like little bishie-boys?" Ria smirked, and tossed another one at Jack.

Jack smirked back, returning fire, "Why do all of your boyfriends look like they've just been lobotomized? Or is that just a feature from dating you?"

There was the sound of creaking as Ada came down the stairs rapidly, calling out, "What's that ruckus in there?"

Gio and Nella called out together, as they put the other napkins at each place, avoiding the fighting twins with the ease of practice, "Napkin Fight."

"Carry on, then." There was the sound of a pause, "Gio, stop them if they go for silverware?"

"Sure thing, Ma," Gio said, finishing up his side of the table, before he glanced at the watch on his own wrist. "You got ten seconds to finish this up. 10, 9, 8…"

Ria paused, napkin in hand, as did Jack, and they both looked at their older brother warily. Gio had a sneaking habit of winning these particular battles by being the master of Napkin whipping. They glanced at each other, and nodded in silent truce, folding the napkins into neat squares again.

Gio nodded his head in silent approval, before he leaned on the table and lowered his voice, looking first to Jack. "Jack, whoever this guy is, we don't have any right to get mixed into Ria's affairs – unless this guy is a douchebag, and then we have to kick his ass." He and Jack shared an understanding look, before Gio continued, "Until that point – he's off-limits. Respect Ria's wishes on this."

He turned, pointing a finger at Ria, "As for you, if this guy doesn't like your family as is? He's not the guy for you, Ria, because he is never, ever going to get where you're coming from. You deserve someone who you never have to hide from." He thought about Betty, and added wryly, "Or someone you've got to hide from us."

Ria sighed, her beautiful face smoothing out into an expression of apology. "You're right." She leaned her lithe form against the chair, looking sheepishly over to Jack and Nella. "I'm sorry, guys, for being a jerk."

Jack and Nella nodded solemnly and Nella came over to pat her sister warmly on the arm. "We're sorry you were a jerk, too."

Ria gave her little sister a dark look, before just rolling her eyes and tugging on a strand of Nella's hair. Gio covered his smile with a cough, before he said firmly, "Right – Jack, you get plates. Nella, get glasses. Ten of them, carry them out in twos and not in threes. We like our mother not to have a heart attack." He waited until they disappeared into the kitchen, before he walked around the table and gave Ria a half-hug, and a nudge of the shoulder. "Good on you, sister. And, if this guy does hurt you, I'm going to turn him into a new leather coat, just for me."

Ria gave him a half smile, hip-bumping him. "Gonna put him in a pair of cement shoes?"

Gio mock sighed, bumping her back, "It was a joke! Jesus!" Jack and Nella stomped back in, and Gio went to help Nella with the glasses. "All right – what is up with everyone – I want actual details and not just what you've been telling Mom and Dad – Nella, you're up."

Nella started talking about her day – about the school Thanksgiving pageant and that everyone had better be there because this would probably be the only time she would get a solo in the choir – and Gio smiled, helping set the table. These were some of the moments he enjoyed most about coming home. Just chilling out, spending time with his brother and sisters. He thought briefly and regretfully of Betty Suarez – the last time he talked to her he hadn't asked how her family was doing. Apparently better – she seemed happy enough and wasn't worried about her father in Mexico. He should have asked, though.

Much to his chagrin, Betty Suarez remained in his thoughts for the rest of the afternoon. In fact, he was again brooding over how angry she was at him before they left things – even though she should be mad at herself! – and wondering why he felt vaguely guilty over it. He was staring off into space, and had to feel Nella's fist pounding into his shoulder to shake himself out of it, "Wait, what?"

Nella rolled her eyes, the twins grinned at one another, and Ada put one hand on her hip, giving her son a wry look, speaking slowly, "I said, would you get the door, Gio? That must be your sister and she must have her hands full." She came over to him, stroking back his hair. "You okay, sweetheart? You were a million miles away."

"Yeah, I'm fine, Ma." He smiled, patting her shoulder gently. "Just got a lot on my mind – is all. I'll go get the door for Luce."

Out of the kitchen, he berated himself silently. He shouldn't be getting so lost in the problems of some girl … no, not some girl. Betty. Betty was definitely different. Still, he was with his family. Shouldn't be letting himself get all … distracted. He opened the door and then smirked at the sight of his sister Luce, standing there with her arms filled with bottles of wine. "Ooo, nice Loser. Are we going on a bender before the wedding?"

Luce rolled her eyes, and shoved two bottles into his hands. "Please, Gruesome. Get drunk on your own time." She manhandled her way through the door, giving his cheek a quick kiss. "Samuel is parking the car – You will be nice to him, Giovanni!"

"You can't deny it, now. You're giving me booze to ensure my good behavior." Gio looked more closely at the label, closing the door behind her.

Luce gave him a sharp elbow, as she moved past him, her heels clicking on the hardwood floors. "No, these are from the Cohens. They wanted the family to taste-test these wines for the engagement fete."

"Fete … who uses a word like that?" Gio muttered under his breath as he followed her into the kitchen, reading the small print. "Besides, the only people in this family with any kind of palate are Grandpa Vanni and me – you couldn't tell a good wine from bad grape juice – woah!"

Luce bumped open the kitchen door with her butt - arching an eyebrow in his direction. "Woah – what? Hi everybody!"

(Cut here for length!)


	2. Chapter 2

Gio carefully stepped past Luce and with equal care, put the bottles of wine in his grip on the kitchen counter Gio carefully stepped past Luce and with equal care, put the bottles of wine in his grip on the kitchen counter. He waited until she had made the round of family greetings, before picking up one particular bottle of wine. "Luce, this is a Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac, 1996. This is the wine they used to serve in Versailles when there was a King Louis around to drink it." He paused. "It runs about three hundreds bucks. A _bottle_."

The entire family collectively stopped to stare at Gio, and then at the bottles of wine that Luce had left on the table. Jack was the first to speak, and it was a little weak, "Hey, Luce … ah , can I steal one of these bottles? I need to buy a new drum set for my band."

Luce looked wildly over to her younger brother, before she made a sharp little noise, like something between a squeak and a yelp, her hands going into her perfectly sculpted hair. Finally she let out a sharp, "Three hundred dollars? A bottle? For the _engagement_ party?"

"What's this about the engagement party?" Bert came out of the basement, wiping his hands off on a towel. He found himself suddenly with two armfuls of his eldest daughter, shock coming off his face. "Now, what's all this?"

"Oh Daddy!" Luce wailed, "They're buying three hundred dollar wine! And we have to pay for the wedding! We can't afford anything like that!"

Ada pressed her lips together, going to her husband and her daughter, and Gio rubbed one hand through his thick hair, feeling like a complete ass. He ran through his mind quickly, and then turned and ran out of the kitchen, towards the front door. Samuel was just coming up the walk, and Gio let out a sigh of relief as he ran up to the young man and grabbed him by the arm, dragging him, "C'mon. You need to get inside."

For a tall and lanky lawyer, Samuel had a lot of resistance, and the young man's hazel eyes narrowed, "Why? Are you going to pull some lame joke with cement shoes?"

"Oh for crying out -- it was a joke -- it doesn't matter, Luce is crying and - woah!" As soon as the words 'is crying' had left Gio's lips, Samuel shot forward and past him, into the house. Gio blinked, and then smiled. Samuel's stock just rose up several points in his book for that. He followed in after, finding his entire family now around Luce.

Samuel, he observed, went directly to her, stroked her hair and took her into his arms, and spoke to her gently. "Tell me what's wrong, and what we have to do to fix it."

Gio, watching his sister pour her panic out to her future husband, felt a sudden and surprising stab of jealousy. He wanted to be that guy – not for his sister obviously – but he wanted to have his arms wrapped around the woman he loved. Comforting, being there for her, and knowing her so well that he always knew the right thing to say. Betty Suarez suddenly came to mind again, which was just weird. Maybe that's because that was the relationship she thought she had with her accountant …but it couldn't be. It wasn't like this. Samuel, while he might have gotten another girl pregnant, never would have strung Luce along. He loved her too much. Love was about sacrifice – but it had to be mutual. Otherwise it was just … well. It was just crap. Of course he didn't know the whole 'Henry' situation. Hell, he didn't even know Henry.

He just didn't think he could have any respect for a man like that, dragging around a nice girl like Betty when he had to leave in five months. He focused on his sister again, pushing those thoughts aside.

Samuel was handling it admirably, looking at his future bride and speaking to her in a firm but gentle tone, "Luce, I am completely positive my family did not send you those bottles of wine to make you nervous, or feel bad about your own family. If they were, God help them, because I'll never speak to them again. And I don't care how we get married, be it in your backyard or at City Hall. I just need you."

Luce sighed happily and kissed him. Ada sighed happily and hugged her husband. Ria sighed happily and canted her head, smiling a soft, girlish smile. Grandpa Vanni looked wistful. Jack and Nella were exchanging eyebrows – and gagging noises.

Gio, again, thought of Betty.

He cleared his throat, looking around the room as his family glanced up at him. He flashed a sheepish smile, "So … to encourage all this good feeling before we eat – who wants presents?"

"Presents, sweetheart?" Ada blinked in surprise.

"Sweet, presents!" The twins and Nella chorused together.

"Gio, you shouldn't be buying presents. You're starting a business. You've got to save your money…" His father called out after him, as Gio stepped out to grab the cardboard box.

Gio grinned as he stepped back into the kitchen with the box, putting it on a chair. "Don't worry, Pops. This stuff was all comp'd to me." He shook his head, as he pulled the box open. "You'd be _amazed_ what people will do for free cookie coupons. Ah-hah … here we go. Pops, this is for you. 2008 book on patents. I know how you like to keep up on the competition."

Bert took it, his eyes gleaming, "That I do – where did you get this, anyways?"

"I was in a publishing house – they're giving away all kinds of stuff. It's what they like to call 'swag'." Gio rolled his eyes, as he dug into the book again. "Here Ma, snagged you a copy of _A Thousand Splendid Suns_, because I know how crazy you were over _The Kite Runner._"

"Oh, sweetheart, thank you… " Ada said, well pleased, before she blinked. "This is signed by the author!"

"He was in fact there for an interview and signed a bunch of copies. You may thank me by giving me the biggest piece of cake later – for Luce and Samuel - I know you guys were worried about finding people for the wedding and all that – sooooo, back issues of MODE's wedding issues and your own copy of _Wedding Planning for Dummies_." He gave his sister and her fiancée a warm, teasing grin. "I thought the dummy part was especially appropriate." He let out a mental sigh of relief as Luce took the book from him, whacked him with it, and then gave him a big sniffly hug. Behind them, Samuel just grinned. Well, his sister wasn't crying and her guy actually had a sense of humor. Things were looking up.

He went back to the box. "For Ria and Jack ….I got CD's – ah, Chris Brown and some band called The Shins?"

Ria squealed as she and Jack jumped forward. Jack snagged up his CD, staring at the cover, "This hasn't even been RELEASED yet!"

"Oh. Kay. That's good, right?"Gio said, and then found himself tackled with twin hugs, before Jack and Ria ran out of the kitchen, fighting over who would get to play their CD first on the stereo. He coughed, getting his breath back, before he took out a large picture book, "There you go, Grandpa Vanni, the latest coffee table book on Italy … we stick four legs on this and we'll _have_ a table."

Grandpa Vanni let out a happy exclamation in Italian, pressed a papery kiss to Gio's cheek and went to put the book carefully on the counter, turning the pages with care, his eyes slightly teary as he stared at the pictures within even while he cooked. Gio felt a half-smile on his lips, before he felt a solid tug on his shirt, and he half-twisted around to find Nella behind him, her arms folded across her chest.

Nella gave him a dirty look, and then pushed him slightly, "The box is empty."

Gio nodded his head slowly, "The box is empty, huh?"

Nella's glare deepened and she looked like she was ready to commit fratricide. "Yes. Empty."

"Well…" Gio pulled the two _Wicked_ tickets he had, ahem, gotten from Betty out from his pocket. "Good thing I've got these, huh?"

He gestured to them with his free hand, grinning as Nella snagged them from him, and started to squeal, "_Wicked, Wicked, Wicked_! Oh My God! Oh, thank you Gio! Thank you thank you!" She squeezed her brother and then ran over to her parents. "Can I go? Can we go? Plllleassse say I can go!"

Ada glanced at the tickets, then stared, "These are for tonight – in about three hours!"

"Yeah, I figured we'd eat, Nella would change here and I'd whip home for a quick change myself, then we'd head uptown. Since it's not a school night I figured getting her home around 10 or 11 would be all right." Gio said, looking from his father to his mother. Ada looked from her son, as Luce and Samuel came to look at the tickets themselves, before glancing at her husband.

Bert shrugged, and Ada handed the tickets back to Nella, "All right – you can go."

"Whoo!" Nella danced around, and then went running out of the kitchen yelling, "Ria! I'm going to _Wicked_! I need help with my outfit!"

Smiling, Ada walked over and kissed her son's cheek. "That's sweet of you, Gio." She patted his shoulder before putting her book someplace safe. "Bert, sweetie, can you cut up the bread? Looks like Grandpa Vanni is just about ready."

"You're a good big brother, son." Bert said, patting his son as well, before he went to comply with his wife's request.

"Ye-ah, a little too good," Luce said slowly, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Gio, those tickets – no _way_ your cookies are good enough for those kind of seats."

"They are really good seats, for such short notice." Samuel chimed in, shrugging off of Gio's look, "Well, we couldn't get them, I know that much."

Gio rolled his eyes, "I did not buy them from a scalper, if that was what you were both implying. I got them from a –" From a what? He wouldn't call Betty a friend. She wasn't anything else, was she? "From a girl I know."

"A girl?" Ada asked, as she strained the pasta. "What, she asked you to go, and then she couldn't?"

"Not exactly, no." He grimaced a little, thinking of the huffy look on Betty's face as she shoved the ticket into his pocket. Man, he had been an ass about that – but c'mon! There was something about Betty that just made him want to poke her when she was being the dumbest smart person he knew. "She was trying to go on a secret date with a boyfriend that no one wants her to date, and to keep him from getting fired, because her boss doesn't want her dating him either, she told him – her boss - that I was her boyfriend."

His parents, his grandfather, Luce and Samuel all stared at him, and finally Samuel said, "Well … okay … so she gave you the tickets in thanks for covering for her?"

"Ah. Well." Gio cleared his throat, as his mother handed him the giant pot filled with pasta, Luce the large casserole dish with the sauce, and Samuel his plainly cooked chicken on a plate. "Yeah – no. Her boss gave her the tickets for her – and me – but she was trying to get the tickets for her and Egg Salad."

"So let me get this straight." Luce said slowly, as they entered the dining room – where Jack, Ria, and Nella were already sitting at their places, "She tried to steal your ticket for her secret boyfriend, Egg Salad?"

"Who's Egg Salad?" Jack, Ria and Nella all chorused, and Nella added suspiciously, "Is he trying to take my ticket?"

"His name isn't Egg Salad. It's Henry Grubstick – and he's Betty's boyfriend. Betty is the nice lady who gave us the tickets, Nella." Gio said slowly, as he went to put the pot of pasta in the middle of the table.

Jack snorted a little, "With a name like Grubstick? I think I might want to stick with Egg Salad."

"So who is he again?" Ria asked, as she moved to serve herself, Jack and Nella.

"Betty's secret boyfriend," Luce answered, as she put the sauce on the table, and sat on the other side with Samuel, Gio on her other side.

"So … Betty the nice lady who gave us the tickets has a secret boyfriend?" Nella scooted down, beaming at Grandpa Vanni, "Next to me, Grandpa."

"Bella Nella." Grandpa Vanni kissed Nella's forehead, sitting down slowly.

Bert sat next to his father, passing around the bread basket, a frown on his face. "Now – she's keeping him secret why, exactly?" He paused, that frown deepening, "Is he a drug dealer, Giovanni?"

"What? No! He's an accountant. Just a boring, ordering egg salad every day, accountant." Gio made sure to sauce up his and Luce's pasta, then turned to offer some to his mother.

Ada held out her plate, her own lips pressed together. "Then why is he a secret, and why do you have to pretend to be her better boyfriend?"

Gio cleared his throat, finding his entire family was looking at him expectantly. He sighed and swirled his fork into his pasta. "Well … he got his ex-girlfriend pregnant, and because of that, he's moving back to Tucson to raise his kid, but he and Betty are staying together until he moves."

His family remained silent for a whole thirty seconds, which was a record for them, and then;

"Well, I can't see her parents approving of that! Imagine, your daughter dating some man who is going off to raise his child with his ex-girlfriend!" Ada shook her head, "And then using our Gio to be her beard."

"At least he's living up to his responsibilities. I like to think my own sons would do no less." Bert said, gesturing to his fork to his boys.

Gio and Jack spoke simultaneously, "Da-ad! C'mon!"

"Giovanni and Giacomo would not get any girl they didn't want pregnant. They are smart boys." Grandpa Vanni said firmly, as he punctured a scallop with his fork. "They will marry the girls they have babies with."

"Ew, Grandpa Vanni. No talking about the Mutants spawn while we're eating." Ria tossed her hair, cupping her chin. "I don't know, having a secret boyfriend is pretty romantic … you know, if he wasn't all baby mama and an accountant."

"I think it's stupid." Nella said firmly. "Why go out with someone who is just going to leave?" She rolled her eyes, her expression clearly stating that grown-ups were crazy.

"I'm still confused about the ticket thing." Samuel said slowly, "She lied to her boss to get tickets for you and her, but not for you and her but for her and Henry, but you ended up with the tickets."

Gio leaned past Luce, to answer Samuel. "That's because he gave them to me first."

"Oh! And you just took the tickets!" Samuel blinked. "Ah, why?"

His entire family stared at Gio again, and he snorted softly, "Well, of course I did. What if he asked me about the musical? I had to be prepared."

"Aha, but you couldn't have just asked Betty for an explanation later?" Samuel frowned.

"Or you could have just asked Betty to tell you about it." Ada added in thoughtfully.  
"Because as her beard boyfriend you'd have to spend a lot more time together."

His father answered back. "Well he must have had another reason, right Gio?"

Gio cleared his throat. In the flickering light of the dining room table, it wasn't really clear why he didn't let her have the tickets. Well, it was. He just didn't want to admit it. But since this was his family, he did. "Because …because she's making a huge mistake with this – lying to her boss, and really just lying to herself. I'm trying to protect her." He sighed and twirled his pasta onto his fork. "Apparently the only way I could do that was out and out thievery."

Luce's eyes widened, as she quickly chewed and swallowed. "Oh my God, you like this girl!"

"Well yes – I like – woah, woah woaaaaaaaah." Gio put up his hands, feeling slightly panicked. "No, not at all. Not like that! I mean, she's a nice girl, but it's not – with the liking."

"You do. You totally like her. That's why you're being all protective and underhanded." Luce grinned as she pointed her fork in her brother's direction, "You liiiiiike her. You want to kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiss her."

Gio's eyes swiftly moved around the table – the twins and Nella looked twenty seconds away from jumping in, Samuel was looking contemplative, his father curious, Grandpa Vanni had his craggy eyebrows raised and his mother … oh, his mother was the most dangerous one of all, with her hands folded together, fingertips resting against her lips as she contemplated her son. Ada Rossi had the uncanny ability to read her children, and Gio wasn't sure what she was reading there.

So he picked up his fork, and dug into his food instead of making a fuss, snorting as he twisted his pasta around the fork's tines. "Ok-ay, Luce. Sure. I like her. Next I'm going to be pulling her pigtails and kicking sand in her face…. _C'mon._ I do not have to be that grade school to get a woman to date me. Besides, what kind of girl is worth waiting for long enough for her to get past all the unmitigated stupid that she's gotten herself into. No … " He shook his head judiciously, "Betty Suarez is a nice girl, but she's not _that _nice of girl."

Ada spoke first, before anyone else had a chance to interject, "All right – everyone stop harassing your older brother. He needs to eat and get out of here, if he and Nella are going to make their curtain time. So just stop fussing over him." Gio shot his mother a grateful look, and she favored him with a knowing wink, "After all this – I'm sure a Broadway show is going to seem downright tame."

"Ma, after a night with this family, I'm kinda afraid Wicked's going to be downright _boring_." He answered, grinning as he sipped a little more of the excellent wine.

After all, it was just a musical. What was the worst that could happen?

"He ditched me." Nella said firmly, as she carefully preserved the last of her ice cream cone, hopping out of Gio's van. "You can say what you want – but he saw you macking on his girl, he wigged, and he ditched me. An eleven-year old! I could have been kidnapped!"

Gio rolled his eyes, as he shut the door on his side, coming around to Nella's side. "We were in the middle of the _Wicked _theatre, surrounded by thousands of people. Who was going to kidnap you, the Phantom of the Opera?"

Nella returned his expression, as she elbowed him. "I didn't expect you to notice – what with all the flirt-on you were doing with whatsherface. Braces."

"Her name is _Betty,_ and I wasn't _flirting._" Gio shook his head as they climbed the steps to the front door. "I was pretending to be her boyfriend so her boss wouldn't know about Henry."

"Ye-ah, that kinda failed when she came flying out on stage on that big giant moon thing with Egg Salad." Nella rolled her eyes. "And please – why didn't you just take her hand? Arm around the shoulders? So flirt-on."

"That's not flirting! Well, not in these circumstances…. Whatever. Let's just keep this all on the down-low." He sighed, running one hand over his hair as he unlocked the front door. "Especially all the Betty bits."

Nella gave him another look, and popped into the house, where she was greeted by her mother with a kiss and a hug. "Hey sweetheart, did you have a good time?"

"Oh, it was so much interesting, you don't even know, Mom." Nella beamed with a touch of too much innocence. "Is there cake? I smell fresh chocolate cake"

"Yes, there's cake. Your brothers and sisters are having their slices now." Ada watched as Nella ran off towards the kitchen, and then eyed her son. "She does a good 'nothing happened here, Mom' face, but I know yours far better. What happened?"

Gio sighed, as he wrapped one arm around his mom's waist, giving her a kiss on the cheek, before angling over to flop on the sofa and slump with exhaustion. "Do you really want to know?"

"Your grandfather is in bed. Your father's down in his basement. Your mother is bored. Give an old lady a good story." Ada said wryly, seating herself across from him.

Gio rubbed his face, and eyed his mother, before saying wryly. "So – there I was at the theatre, looking around, just giving Nella a minute to buy herself a shirt, when Betty shows up with Egg Salad. – I mean, Henry…" And he proceeded to tell his mother the entire sordid tale – Betty's boss Daniel Meade showing up, Gio pretending to be her boyfriend while Nella had to sit with Betty's boyfriend. Betty trying to be on her date with Henry while sitting next to him, and then for some reason in the middle of the performance she had to abruptly get up and go talk to Henry. How the next time he had seen her, she and Egg – Henry – were swinging out over the stage of _Wicked_ during "Defying Gravity", "…and at that point, I really don't know who was more surprised – myself, Mr. Meade, the actors, or Betty."

Ada shook her head, looking amazed. "She went through all that – just to so she could get her heart broken in five months."

"Oh, she's always doing things like this. She's stubborn, Ma. Stubborn, and mule-headed, and so very passionate that she's right. All the time, she's right because she says so." Gio waved his hand. "She's insane. Absolutely _insane_ … what?"

Ada had her hand curled around her mouth, and when she moved it away she was smiling this smug, mysterious Mother smile. "Oh, nothing. She just …reminds me of someone I know."

"Who, me?" Gio asked wryly. "Well, you are stubborn, and you're certainly passionate. But no, more like me. I hate being proven wrong too, and I always try to follow my heart, no matter how winding the road may be." Ada shrugged, still smiling. "Let's just say – Betty interests me."

"Yeah, me too - as a possible case in a mental health study." Gio said, before he admitted, grudgingly. "But …that is one of the things I like best about her. Her willingness to fight for what she wants -- when she knows what that is."

"I know, sweetheart." Ada's smile widened, "She seems like a loyal, loving young woman. Willing do what she has to, to protect the man she loves. She's going to make herself one hell of a wife one day – for the right kind of guy." She paused, and then said firmly, "Now what are you four looking so very smug about?"

Gio twisted around to see all his younger siblings gathered around the kitchen door. All four of them were smirking. That was never a good sign. He narrowed his eyes on them. "All right, what's so funny?"

Luce looked over to Ria, who glanced at Jack, who smirked down to Nella, who grinned broadly at Gio and then started to sing song. "You liiiiiiiiiiiiiike her." The twins chimed in, "You wanna kisssssss her." Finally Luce finished off the melody, as all four Rossi siblings started to mock-dance a little in the kitchen doorway. "You're gonna maaaaaaaaaaarry her, 'cuz you looooooooooooooooove her."

Gio slowly nodded to this, before turning back to his mother. "Ma?"

Ada, with the same strange smile on her face, waved her hand magnanimously. "Just don't break anything."

Gio nodded his head once, then sprung from his chair, bellowing at his siblings, "I'm about to become an _only_ child!"

Jack yelped out an, "Oh _shit_!" as the girls squealed and all four of them tried to get back out of the doorway at the same time, with Gio in hot pursuit. In the heat of revenge and payback, namely turning the backyard hose on all four of them while Samuel chortled over his chocolate cake, it didn't occur to him to think about his mother's mysterious little smile.

It didn't, in fact, for quite some time after that.


End file.
